The calf and the well
The calf and the well (19-08-26)
13-006 and hen 18-849 I dare to call exceptional pigeons. The 006 won the 1st S-National Argenton as a yearling with a fairly strong NE wind on one of the greatest distances. Provincial (Antwerp) he won the first with a lead of no less than 10 minutes on Andre Roodhooft. Albert Derwa won the 1st in his province and was just below the 006 nationally who had to cover so many more km (almost 50) with a headwind. On Pipa there was extensive attention for Derwa (who was going to sell), not a single word about me. It was the last day I looked at that site. Potential foreign buyers, who were in the mood for pigeons that were offered on it, I answered evasively to the question whether everything was ok there. The point is that people there thought, and many still do, that this site brings the news. Admittedly, they are often early, but I wouldn't call it a news site.
BREEDERS
That 'exceptional' is not an empty word will be evident from the performances of a daughter of the 006 and one of the 849:
The pedigrees of 2 miracle birds: Daughters of 006 and 849, which became a pair.
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NOT DONE
Especially the 006 was already getting older. Pigeons to which you owe so much can also die in my loft, and I put both in an aviary, together with a few other old birds. This spring, my help Simon saw that the 006 felt like cuddling a bit. Not with a green leaf, there were several in the same aviary, but with 18-849, that old aunt. One of the very few in which blood still flows from Ace Four. A while later he came up with surprising news again. The couple had an egg, ‘would have been unfertilized’, but it wasn't. But there seemed to be no end to the good news. When the young was weaned two eggs, both fertilized. I was able to wean two beautiful youngsters and... Three days later the 006 died.
NOT SMART
And that may be a bit of my own fault. The physical is often not what it should be and then you let things take their course, you are less thoughtful. Now Simon thought in time to give the couple a bowl, otherwise it would have been a complete drama.
What I mean by 'own fault'?"
In the past I had good contacts with dr. Lemahieu from Diksmuide, at the time very highly regarded as a scientist/veterinarian with a great interest in pigeons. And this authority repeatedly told me that pigeons, both cocks and hens, suffer much more from feeding the youngsters than they do to lay eggs.
The message: If you keep older breeders one should also keep some nurse couple in reserve to raise the young.
The ‘porridge’ of (much) younger pigeons would certainly not be less than that of those old rascals. Now it is too late. The story of the calf and the well.
At my age with all my experience? How can it be?